A Life After Hogwarts
by LiveALieWith1Secret
Summary: Have You Ever Wondered what would've happened If Lily and James didn't date in school? How would their lives have change? Not how you would've expected!FLUFF!
1. Chapter

**DISCLAIMER: first off I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOT!!! THE CHARATER ARE PROPERTY OF J. ONLY!!!! I ONLY WISH I OWNED THEM but i don't *cry hysterically over James and Sirius* THE SONG BELONGS TO TAYLOR SWIFT I DO NOT OWN THEM *Stay Beautiful***

**_Lily_**

**FLASHBACK  
**'It was the last day of 7th year, I felt so sad...I'd be leaving, I couldn't leave...Hogwarts was my home! I felt so scared, like a child lost in a world of strangers!, and that's exactly where I'm going; out into a world where I know no-one. I'll be out in the real world, out into the raging war, where Voldemort is the threat, to where you have no idea when your life could end. I won't have the protection of the walls to keep me safe, no Dumbledore to help me...I'll be on my own...alone!' I look out to the grounds, the sun was shining, the grass was green, students having a good time in the lake, and here I was inside, tears welling up in my eyes. I look away and walked faster up the stairs.

"Lily….Lily wait up!"

'That voice, OH THAT ANNOYING VOICE that drove me up the wall! He just has to do to me now! That...that...that...PRAT! Stupid, annoying, hot, nice, amazing, caring egocentric, big-headed James-Bloody Sodding-Potter!'

"What do you want Potter?" I said spinning around glaring at him, I try not to swoon

"Hey! I only wanted to ask you something!" James said looking at the floor

"No"

"But you don't even-"

"No"

"Bu-"

"The answers still NO Potter, now bugger off I DON'T LIKE YOU! YOU DISGUST ME!" I said, turning around on my heel and stomping up the stairs, leaving James on the steps below, even though I won't admit it to anyone I DO feelings for him, strong ones, I'm just afraid to get hurt again.  
**END FLASHBACK**

Here I was sitting at a table in a coffee shop 4 years later, not having seen a trace of James Potter...sure I see him in the Prophet; him being a aurour and all, not to mention Witch Weekly's number 1 Eligible Bachelor of the year, but I never came face to face with him in 4 bloody years. One reason is probably because he's in a high-end wizarding job while I'm in a muggle job as a no-good club and coffee shop singer. I never really liked my job, I've always wanted to be a healer, but they never hired me even if I had the highest marks in school, HA! funny huh?

Just as everyone started piling in from the cold, I knew that I had to go on stage soon…JOY! The manager who is a very nice young woman tells me I have to set up now as she takes my plates away with her. I grudgingly get up and walk to my guitar by the bar, I pick it up and walked on stage shaking, It's not like I have stage fright or anything because I don't I just hate the way the men look at me...they look so hungry if you get my drift…If you're wondering why they look at me that way, well I have fiery red hair that goes down to my mid-back, my hair curls slightly at the bottom, I'm 5'6, with emerald green eyes and a curvy figure, no wonder they look at me like that!

Having everything set up and ready the lights dimmed, I never really liked that it made it even more…intimidating, Just as I was about to start singing, the door of the café opened and a man stepped in, he had very messy jet black hair that had snow in it, he wore jeans, a red sweater and a leather jacket. My mouth dropped…I knew him…he was my "mortal" enemy at school; it was James Potter, that stubborn prat that always used to ask me out at school. My eyes started to burn with tears that were threatening to fall, what was James Potter aurour extraordinaire and hottest most eligible bachelor in England doing in a low-down muggle coffee shop? I watched him take a seat in the second row of tables and order a drink. Suddenly remembering where I was, I started to strum my guitar and sing.

_"Cory's eyes are like a jungle  
He smiles, it's like the radio  
He whispers songs into my window  
in words nobody knows  
there's pretty girls on every corner  
that watch him as he's walking home  
Saying, does he know  
Will you ever know"_

_"You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful"_

_"Cory finds another way to be  
the highlight of my day  
I'm taking pictures in my mind  
so I can save them for a rainy day  
it's hard to make conversation  
when he's taking my breath away  
I should say, hey by the way"_

I look over at James, I see him looking directly at me listening to every word I've sang, he caught my eye I quickly looked down blushing furiously and kept on singing.

_"You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful"_

_"If you and I are a story  
that never gets told  
if what you are is a daydream  
I'll never get to hold, at least you'll know"_

_"You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
When you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my front door or  
Oh but if it don't, will you stay beautiful  
Beautiful, beautiful beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, lalalaa  
Ohhhh ohhhaohhh oh but if it don't stay beautiful stay beautiful  
Dadadatada"_

I looked up from my guitar only to see James staring at me with this sort of soft…glitter in his eyes. I stand up as everyone claps, I walk down the stairs of the stage to put my guitar back in its case. When everything is in it's rightful place I walked over to the bar, Amanda smiles at me and complements me on how "fantastic" I was, I smile back and thank her, then order a hot chocolate with cinnamon and whipped cream. As she prepares my order, I start fiddling with the necklace my father gave me at Christmas in my 1st year at Hogwarts. I've worn it everyday since, James and his best friend Sirius Black always used to tease me about it. I smiled inwardly, oh how I would get so angry with them…but I had a good reason to, my father was my best friend, he'd take me everywhere, to sports games, to the park, he taught me how to drive, how to swim, how to do math right, he taught me how to stand up for myself and what I believe in, heck he even took me shopping for crying out loud. After my mother died when I was 16 my father was a wreck but the strong relationship we had together got us through, that's another known fact of why Petunia hated me, our father favored me more as did our mother when she was alive. I was all tears and smiles when my hot chocolate was ready, Amanda asks why I was smiling, I just shook my head and kept on smiling, I thank her and turn around to walk away and guess who I ran into……..literally!

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW, THIS IS MY FIRST STORY THAT I HAVE EVER PUBLISHED, FLAME ME OR DON'T I REALLY DON'T CARE, IT'D BE GREAT TO GET YOUR OPINION! :D PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!! PLEASE! THANK YOU! =D**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: ONCE AGAIN I OWN NADA BUT THE PLOT! IF I DID I'D BE RICH AND FAMOUS AND BASKING IN THE GLORY THAT IS THE HARRY POTTER YUMMYNESS THAT THESE CHARACTER COME FROM! BUT I'M NOT, SO I DON'T OWN IT! **

_**Lily**_

Yep! you guessed it, James Daniel Potter! So here I was on the cold stone floor practically on top of him….perfect!

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? Here let me help you" he said as he got up, he held out his hand to me, I looked at it for a second and decided not to be rude, after all we DID go to school together, so I took it.

"Thanks" I said looking at the floor, normally I would have smiled but I couldn't, it's obvious he doesn't remember me, but…why should he, he has the perfect life, he doesn't have to think about old crushes. I side-step him and start to walk away when he grabs me by my arm, I was not able to move away so I turned back around and daringly looked into his eyes.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" he asks looking at me, I thought I could see the slightest hint of recognition, but my eyes must have been playing tricks on me, James wouldn't recognize me….he couldn't, we haven't seen each other for so many years and after what I did to him all those years ago I'm sure he would have forgotten all about me and his broken heart.

"No I don't believe you do, sorry" I looked away for a second unable to keep looking him in the eyes, then I looked back but kept my eyes on his shoulder.

"But you look so familiar! I'm sure I've seen you somewhere!" I hear him say, I shrug and look away towards the bar, there I see Kristine and Marissa; the manager smiling at us, I scowled at them and quickly looked away to the floor again, though I see James glance over to them then look back at me.

"Would you like to have coffee with me? It'll be on me!"

"Oh um…I have to go I'm sorry!" with that I grabbed my guitar and ran out to the slush filled streets of London. Part of me didn't want to leave him but other side of me just wanted to run for it! I couldn't hold back the tears anymore, I just couldn't, I ran as fast as I could into a deserted alley, I apparated home.

I put my guitar down by the front door, walked into the kitchen and grabbed a carton of ice-cream, a blanket; I turned on the television and sank into my favourite fluffy red chair by the fireplace. I couldn't stand it anymore! I break his heart a school, rejecting going out with him, leaving on the bottom of the stairs….and then 4 years latter I do almost the same thing except he doesn't know it me! I dig into my ice-cream and while looking into the fire.

"I'm such an arse!" I just sat there crying until I feel asleep dreaming of what might have been if I'd have said yes to him that day 4 years ago.

_**James**_

I see her run out the café, debating on whether I should follow, she looked so familiar like someone I knew at school, but it couldn't be her, I haven't seen her in 4 years, besides she hated me, it not likely she wouldn't have changed her mind by now. I'm sure she wouldn't look like that either; she wouldn't look like her old self! Plus the most important reason why it couldn't be her….she was the smartest witch of her age, smartest girl in school, she wouldn't be caught up in a job like this getting money by playing gigs at coffee shops! No it's only my imagination, I thought so much about her those two years after we graduated…then it just became to much, it hurt so bad, I loved her…..I still do!

I turn away from the door, thinking of Lily, I catch the waitress's eye, she gives me a sympathetic look and shrugs, it's like she knows what I'm thinking or who I'm thinking of. I rummage in my pocket for some muggle money, I turn toward the waitress and I smile weakly a her, I pay for my drink and walk out of the café, and the I apparate home. I slowly walk into the living room of my 3 story mansion which I inherited from my parents when I was 17, there I see Sirius pigging out on food and watching the Quidditch game.

"Padfoot?"

"Yeah Prongs" Sirius says as he turns to look at me.

"Do you have any idea what happened to Lily after we graduated?" I say looking him in the eye he looks at me strange look, then rolls his eyes.

"Still obsessed with her huh Prongs? Man you'd think after 4 bloody years you'd have gotten over her by now!" he says turning back around laughing.

"You didn't answer my question Paddy" I said sitting down beside him.

"No Prongs I don't…sorry….why?" he said looking at me beside him.

"It's just that I saw a girl that looked almost identical to Lily at the coffee shop today, she looked so much like Lily it was almost impossible for her not be, but I know it can't be her" I say as I put my head in my hands and hunch over.

"Why can't it be her James?" he says sounding serious and worried.

"Because Padfoot, this woman she was singing onstage as entertainment…IN A CAFÉ! Lily wouldn't have a job like that, she's to smart, she'd be in a good job probably a healer….it's not possible for that woman to be Lily….it just…can't be!"

"Well James why don't you go back there and ask her?" he says standing up.

"It's just that Sirius…she won't really talk to me, I tried to get her to talk to me today but…she just ran away!" I said falling back into the couch looking up at the ceiling, Sirius stood there for a moment thinking.

"Well Prongs I still think that you should go back ask her if she is or knows Evans…you'll never know unless ya ask! Well…I'm off, I've got a hot date with this babe from the bar! See ya later dude!" he said as he grabbed his leather jacket and walked out the door.

I was alone in my house with nothing to do, I wasn't hungry, I wasn't tired, I didn't feel like watching anything, so I just sat there on the couch in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames. They reminded me so much of Lily's temper; so quick to fire up, and so slow to die down, I still love her with all my heart, even if I tried I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about her, and even though she broke my heart at the end of 7th year, I never stopped loving her, wishing she'd be mine one day. I guess I fell asleep because the next moment I was dreaming of Lily, with a child in her arms and me behind her kissing the top of her head.

**A/N: 2ND CHAPTER DONE! PLEASE REVIEW! I'D REALLY LOVE IT! FLAMES OR NOT BUT PLEASE REVIEW! :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!!! THOUGH I STRONGLY WISH I DID...BUT I DON'T! I ENVY J. TO DEATH BECAUSE OF IT! PLOT IS THE ONLY THING I OWN!**

**Chapter 3**

_**Lily**_

The next morning I awoke to the sound of dishes clashing together, it didn't really bother me all that much since I'm so used to it, I share a flat with my best friend Chrissie-Anna, and wherever there's Chrissie-Anna…there is extreme noise!

"Chris! Shut up with those dishes woman!" I say getting out of my chair and walking to the kitchen

"Ha-ha Lils, exactly HOW long have you known me?" she said looking at me in amusement while putting the china away.

"Um 11 years?" I exclaim weakly as I fill my cup with coffee"Yeah EXACTLY! You should know this by NOW, I LOVE making noise!"

"Ha-ha! whatever, well see ya I gotta go bye" I say walking out of my kitchen leaving my best buddy to do the cleanup.

"Yeah see ya Lils!

I slowly walk up the stairs to go to my room, I didn't really want to go but I guess I sort of have to! I opened the door to my room and stepped inside, the walls are lilac and light bleu ,with pictures of me and my friends at Hogwarts, there are Gryffindor flags and decorations on the walls, and I have a dark purple canopy bed in the corner. I know what you're thinking, a bit childish right? But you can't really blame me can you, I hate my job, I haven't seen many of my friends for what seems like forever, The guy I so happen to be in love with still, doesn't remember me at all, my room is my refuge, I need a bright side, a relaxing side to my day…to my life. I guess I also never really grew up…I never wanted to, it seemed so scary, and it is.

I changed into a pair of black jean cargo pants, a green shirt with black writing all over it, my favourite pair of shoes. I looked over at my clock and saw that it was already 10:30, I'm going to be late for work but I didn't care, I walked down the stairs after brushing my teeth and curling my hair, I grabbed my guitar and walked out the door.

_**James**_

"AHHHHRRRGGG! WHAT THE…PADFOOT!" I yell from the floor of living room. I was sleeping, dreaming about Lily when something heavy pounced on me, the next thing I knew I was on the floor tangled up in my blanket, with a big black bear like dog grinning at me.

"Damn you Sirius!" I say untangling myself from the blanket, while running my hand through my unmanageable hair, the dog turned back into Sirius, who was laughing uncontrollably on the floor. After a few moments of Sirius having a laugh attack and myself glaring down at the mutt, he calmed down enough to speak.

"Ha-ha Prong you should seen your FACE!" he yells doubling over in laughter once again.

I see Sirius on the floor laughing at me, I decided to get him back for it, seeing as he's all caught up at the moment, I took my wand from my pocket and turned his leather Jacket and jeans into a hot pink polka-dotted dress, gave him 3 inch black high heals, turned his nails pink and red, and dyed his hair, orange and blonde. I slipped my wand back into my pocket and walked into the kitchen, trying not to laugh.

After a few minutes I hear Sirius finally calming down, only to hear him yell out after realizing what I've done to him.

"PRONGS!"

I burst of laughing and run for dear life up the stairs, with Sirius trying his hardest not to fall on his face while running after me in those heels, I run into my room and lock the door, I hear him banging on the door to let him in, he wouldn't dare use magic on this door because of the consequences of what happened last time he tried.

"PRONG OPEN UP THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" he yells through the door.

"No you're right it's not! I'm sorry Paddy!!!" I say holding in bubbles of laughter

"Humph thank you" I could almost see him sticking his nose up in the air girlishly, I struggle not laughing, I just couldn't help it.

"IT WAS BLOODY HILARIOUS!" I laugh maniacally.

"PRONGS!!!!I HATE YOU" he whines as I hear stomp away most likely going to the bathroom wash he's hair, but little does he know the dye won't come out for at least another week!

I look at my clock, my eyes grow wide it's already 10:30! Crap! I'm going to be late! I dash around my room, looking for close to wear, grab a green t-shirt, a pair of jeans and my cloak, then raced out the door and slid down the stairway railing.

"BYE SIRI!" I yell up to Sirius mockingly.

"YOU SUCK JAMES!" I hear scream at me before I slam the door, and apparated.

**AN: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!! =D**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: FOR THE LAST TIME IN THIS STORY!!! I OWN NOTHING! CHARATERS ARE J., SONG IN TAYLOR SWIFT! *TIM MCGRAW***

_**Lily**_

I reluctantly walk into the coffee shop and slowly go towards the stage to set up once again. I pass Amanda and smile at her, I see her grin back, she pulls me to the side, behind the bar.

"Okay fist of all who the heck was that man who couldn't take his eyes off you yesterday?" she says flipping her long wavy bleach blonde hair over her shoulder and looking at expectantly.

"No one" I say quickly looking down feeling my cheeks growing hot.

"Oh that's such a lie Lily! That WAS NOT just no one! Did you see the way he was looking at you? And that little meeting…I seriously thought you were about to bloody die! I was about to die when you refused to have coffee with him! Tell!

"Really! Mandy he's no one!" with that I walked away toward the stage blushing furiously.

"Trust me Lils! I'll find out…I always do!" I hear her shout, I turn my head and stick my tongue out at her. I walk to the stage with my guitar and start to set up, the slight smile I had on my face moments before gone, Amanda is one of the few people who can always make me happy on one of my bad days, that's why I love her so much.

_**James**_

I apparated into the town I was in yesterday, I start to run down the streets, I pass the coffee stop and just stop. I turn around and there I see that woman that I thought could be Lily. I hear the words Sirius said to me yesterday in my head. I keep looking through the window, a heated argument going on inside my head on weather I should go in or go to work…but curiosity got the better of me, so I walked over and opened the door quietly and strode to the bar where the blonde waitress I saw yesterday was attending to a rather unhappy woman. Once the waitress saw me, she immediately walked over to me, leaving that upset woman completely outraged.

"Hey you're that guy!....the one that was here yesterday….The very same one that couldn't stop staring at my friend!" she says pointing at me loosely.

I look away and blush slightly while nodding

"Yeah I…I guess I am!"

"So what's the deal?"

"What?"

"You heard me! What's the deal with staring at her like that" laughing at her own comment suggestively!

"Nothing" I say a little too quickly.

She nods her head slowly giving me the 'I don't believe you' look.

"'Kay look! Can I just get a coffee with 2 spoonfuls of sugar and cream please" I say not wanting to talk about it.

Her face softens, she smiles at me as to apologize and goes to make my order, silently I thank god that she didn't pester me even further. I take a seat while my order is getting ready just then the 'Lily look alike' got onto her stool on stage, no longer being able to sit, I stood up trying to get a good look at her, looking up at her while she starting to sing.

_You said the way my blue eyes shined, __Put those Georgia stars to shame that night I said: "That's a lie" Just a boy in a Chevy truck, That had a tendency of gettin' stuck, On back roads at night An' I was right there beside him all summer long An' then the time we woke up to find that summer'd gone_

_But when you think: Tim McGraw, I hope you think my favourite song The one we danced to all night long: The moon like a spotlight on the lake When you think happiness, I hope you think:"That little black dress" Think of my head on your chest, An' my old faded blue jeans When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me_

I was so engrossed in the lyrics of the song I didn't realize that my coffee was beside me and the waitress was smirking at me , then glancing over to the stage, my eyes were glued to her, that amazing woman on stage. It suddenly makes sense the lyrics, the fleeing, the crying, it all clicked.

_September saw a month of tears, An' thankin' God that you weren't here, To see me like that But in a box beneath my bed, Is a letter that you never read, From three summers back It's hard not to find it all a little bitter sweet, An' lookin' back on all of that, it's nice to believe:_

_When you think: Tim McGraw, I hope you think my favourite song The one we danced to all night long: The moon like a spotlight on the lake When you think happiness, I hope you think: "That little black dress" Think of my head on your chest, An' my old faded blue jeans When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me_

_And I'm back for the first time since then: I'm standin' on your street, An' there's a letter left on your doorstep, An' the first thing that you'll read:_

_Is: "When you think: Tim McGraw, "I hope you think my favourite song" Some day you'll turn your radio on, I hope it takes you back to that place When you think happiness, I hope you think: "That little black dress" Think of my head on your chest, An' my old faded blue jeans When you think Tim McGraw, I hope you think of me Oh, think of me, Mmmm_

_You said the way my blue eyes shined, __Put those Georgia stars to shame that night I said: "That's a lie"_

It's a beautiful song, one of the most wonderful songs I've ever hear, I wonder if I had been right with my conclusion, she wrote that for me, it makes so much sense..yet so little at the same time. I see her get up I couldn't wait any longer I had to know.

"Lily?" I call, I see her look up, her eyes searching for the voice that called her name, they fall on me, we stare at each other for a moment, her eyes grow wide, she stays there petrified. I started to walk towards the stage, but she runs right past me, but I was too quick for her, I grab her wrist and spin her around to face me.

_**Lily**_

He grabs my wrist and spins me around, I was scared, he can't be here, not again, not now, I look into his eyes, his beautiful hazel eyes that always entranced me, those eyes bore into mine, that…glitter, his intoxicating smell, I could feel my knees growing weak, I struggled to stay up, It scared me the way he looked at me, I could see that it started pouring rain outside.

"Lily!?" he says staring at me, I could hear the disbelief in his voice and well as…..relief?….excitement?....sadness? I didn't know which one, maybe it was all of them, I couldn't tell. I struggle to say something, I open and close my mouth several times.

"James I…"

"Why didn't you say hello?" I could hear the hurt in his voice, I could see the sadness in his eyes, tears forming in them as well as mine.

"I…I….I didn't……I couldn't!"

"Yes you could! But you didn't and I wanna know why!"

"James I couldn't…I just couldn't" and for the second time in two days I ran out of the shop into the hammering rain, I could hear him bursting though the door after me, but I just ran, I was too frightened to turn back around and face him. I ran all the way to the outskirts of town, not really knowing or caring where I was going, I just needed to get away. I ended up on a hill, I just stood there looking out at nothing, just staring off into space, I had tears streaking down my cheeks. I heard footsteps on the grass behind me, and I knew him, I closed eyes, trying to stop more tears from falling but it didn't help.

"Why Lily? Do you have any idea how much I've wondered what had happened to you, how long I've thought about you, been scared for you, not knowing where you were, where you ended up, knowing you're friends haven't seen you in 3 years!" I turn around to look at him and see him standing a few feet away from me.

"James! Stop it…" I whisper, shaking my head slowly, he walks towards me and stops right in front of me.

"I've thought about you ever since that day 4 years ago…I've tried to forget all those years of failed attempts to win your heart but-"

"Shut up!...Just shut up!"

"No Lily, I can't forget…you want to know why?' I shake my head, more tears falling freely from my eyes.

"James. Please…don't!"

"Lily…I love you! You're the breath I breathe Lils, I love you more than anything in the world!"

"No you don't, James you don't, you can't, not after what I did to you! How I acted, how I just left you there on those stairs, what-" The next thing I knew his lips were on mine kissing me softly. That did it! I just couldn't stand it anymore, I wrap my arms around his neck and kissed him back, not caring that we were soaking wet, I just wanted to stay there forever. Without a care in the world, just me and him…The way it should been

**A/N: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! FIRST STORY EVER PUBLISHED!!!!!!! HOPED YOU LIKED IT!!! =D**


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